Abstract

The thermoelectricproperties of PEDOT:PSS/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 polymer/inorganic bulk composites with different Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 content were investigated. The composites were prepared at various concentrations of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 by a solution-phase process before grinding to fine powders in liquid N2 for hot pressing into bulk polymercomposite materials. The measured transport properties are well described within a theoretical model for effective media involving a tunneling mechanism induced by thermal voltage fluctuations. Our results present a strategy for the preparation of bulk polymercomposites and demonstrate an avenue for optimization of the thermoelectricproperties of PEDOT:PSS/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 bulk composites.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Contract No. DMR-1400957. K.W. acknowledges support by the II–VI Foundation Block-Gift Program. We thank Dr. J. Sharp of Marlow Industries, Inc. for the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 alloy thermoelectric material.

Abstract

The thermoelectricproperties of PEDOT:PSS/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 polymer/inorganic bulk composites with different Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 content were investigated. The composites were prepared at various concentrations of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 by a solution-phase process before grinding to fine powders in liquid N2 for hot pressing into bulk polymercomposite materials. The measured transport properties are well described within a theoretical model for effective media involving a tunneling mechanism induced by thermal voltage fluctuations. Our results present a strategy for the preparation of bulk polymercomposites and demonstrate an avenue for optimization of the thermoelectricproperties of PEDOT:PSS/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 bulk composites.